Chapter 128: Operation Soft Launch (Part-3) [How to Humble Four Killers and Still Get Stabbed]

Chapter 128 - Operation Soft Launch (Part-3) [How to Humble Four Killers and Still Get Stabbed] {Warning: There is a bit of gore in this Chapter, just a quick bit, but it's still there, so for those who don't like that I'm telling you in advance and I'll also mark it.} ~~~ Ren remained crouched on the thick tree branch, completely focused, unaware of the events unfolding a little distance away in the shadows. His gaze never left the patrol route, and soon enough, it was Renji's turn again. The hunched, pale man was already on the move, patrolling the outer edges of the camp with his usual jerky movements. That was Ren's cue. He rose from his crouch, stretching his limbs quietly. For this fight, his primary focus would be Taijutsu, with fire release as backup. It would be more than enough to handle the remaining four once Renji was out of the picture. Something about that man set off every internal warning bell Ren had. He couldn't shake it, Renji wasn't just another rogue. He had to go first. Drawing the long sword from the sheath strapped across his back, Ren gave it a few testing swings. His muscles adjusted quickly. Then, he took a deep breath and began to unlock the Eight Gates. First Gate. Second Gate. Third Gate. Finally, the Fourth. It had taken time, effort, and mastery of yang release and Fuinjutsu to reach this point. The Fourth Gate, located in the lumbar region, granted a massive boost to speed, but came at a cost. Whenever the fourth gate was used, it could cause internal bleeding and severe muscle tearing. To prevent that, Ren continuously infused his lower back and thigh muscles with yang chakra to heal and reinforce them. He had also applied specially crafted reinforcement seals to reduce the strain on his spine and tendons. Connecting these seals to the existing network had been difficult, especially since the network now stretched from his forehead down to his thighs in a coiling, intricate pattern. But with intermediate-level Fuinjutsu, he had managed it. The moment the Fourth Gate opened, Ren's chakra surged violently, too much to be contained within his body. Energy radiated off of him like visible heat waves. Despite numerous attempts in training, he had never been able to keep all that power inside. As soon as that power manifested, Renji snapped his head in Ren's direction, eyes wide. "Enemy attack!" Those were his last words. Ren moved. ~(Gore) With a burst of speed granted by the Fourth Gate, his figure blurred, vanishing entirely from sight and reappeared right above Renji. Twisting mid-air, Ren brought his sword down in a powerful spinning arc. The blade connected with Renji's head, splitting the man clean in half before he even had time to react. The two halves dropped lifelessly to the snow-covered earth. ~(Over) Ren landed softly, immediately closing the gates and leaping backward just in time as a barrage of kunai clattered into the ground where he had stood only a moment ago. A dagger came for his neck, forcing him to bend back unnaturally and slide to the side. Then came a massive punch, shattering the earth near his position. Before he could counter, a flash of light sparked above him. Ren barely raised his sword in time to block a lightning-clad blade aimed for his skull. Steel clashed. Sparks flew. Ren didn't hesitate. He abandoned the sword mid-lock and jumped backward, creating distance between him and the attackers. He now faced four figures, each one poised and ready. They had responded with frightening speed and perfect coordination. Their movements weren't the result of panic or chaos. No, they were trained. Experienced. This was no ragtag group of fugitives. Across the clearing, Kenkuro cracked his knuckles and scowled. "Makiru, this isn't Kakashi Hatake," he grunted. The four regrouped quickly. Shiba, the quiet assassin, muttered with growing suspicion, "Did that bastard Raiken play us again? I told you, if he double-crossed us again, I'd gut him myself." Yuka, her voice playful and laced with a teasing edge, giggled as she eyed Ren. "Kakashi's gotten younger? Or did I just find myself a better catch?" She winked. "Big sis likes 'em small and fast." Makiru snapped. "Shut up, all of you. He's more dangerous than Kakashi Hatake's ANBU squad, look at the stars on his-." Before he could complete his words Ren vanished again. In a blink, he was behind Yuka, fist drawn back and glowing with concentrated chakra. [Echo Knuckle] The punch was designed to hit normally and then unleash a delayed chakra burst which was ideal for disorienting targets. But before it could connect, Kenkuro stepped in. The large brawler intercepted the attack with his iron-knuckled fist. For a moment, it looked like he had successfully blocked the blow. Kenkuro sneered. Then a harsh crack echoed out. Ken's knuckles fractured, then shattered, as the delayed impact activated. His entire right hand twisted unnaturally. He dropped to his knees, howling in pain. He didn't get to finish. Ren's boot slammed into Kenkuro's face, launching the massive man across the clearing. His body crashed through two tree trunks before vanishing into the misty forest beyond. Ren stood calmly, assessing the remaining three. Makiru's blade crackled with lightning. Yuka no longer wore a playful expression. Shiba crouched low, daggers ready. Their formation tightened. The real fight had begun. ~ Before Ren could make his next move, Makiru quickly barked out an order to his team, his eyes locked on the five-pointed mask Ren wore. "Those stars, Raiken warned me," he said sharply. "Konoha's ANBU has a secret unit under their commander, the Numbers. Be cautious. The Numbers never act alone. Someone's lying in ambush." Ren raised an eyebrow behind his mask. 'The Numbers don't act alone? But I am alone. Would they believe me if I just kept hanging around?' he thought, then shrugged mentally. 'Well, not my problem if they overthink themselves into a hole.' Without any further delay, he blurred forward and launched a flurry of chakra-enhanced attacks, fists coated with tightly compressed chakra. Every punch left a crackling shockwave in its wake, the ground beneath his feet shattering under the force of his movements. Makiru moved first to counter, lightning coating his blade as he parried the incoming strike. The blow still sent a jolt down his arm. Yuka was next, spinning in from the side to strike with an open-palm strike. Ren blocked her easily and countered with a swift roundhouse that sent her skidding backward. Shiba appeared from behind Ren in a flicker, dagger aimed for his kidney, but Ren twisted unnaturally and slammed an elbow into his ribs, sending him reeling. Each strike was devastating in its force, and the terrain around them began to collapse under the pressure. Craters formed in the snow, trees cracked and fell, rocks splintered. The outpost, though still in the distance, groaned under the tremors of their clash. Forced back and momentarily scattered, the four regrouped, keeping a measured distance. Their faces were grim now, no more jokes, no more flirting. But Ren simply exhaled slowly. 'They're tough, especially Makiru, but this isn't pushing me enough.' He flexed his fingers and took a deep breath. The chakra-enhanced attacks had served their purpose to unbalance and measure the opponent, but now it was time to switch gears. 'I guess it's time I begin my Hyperfocus training,' he thought. He relaxed his shoulders and straightened his back. Then, he raised his voice slightly, casual but deliberate, "Is this all? The infamous Cloud rogues and you can't even keep up with one guy? Disappointing." Makiru's eyes narrowed. Yuka hissed through her teeth, "Cocky little-" "Enough," Makiru barked, then looked at the others. "Don't let your emotions take over. Engage." They came at him together this time. And Ren... didn't attack. Instead, he began to move fluidly, deliberately, and defensively. Makiru led the charge, his blade sparking with electricity as he slashed in fast arcs, aiming for vital spots. Each movement was precise, aiming to overwhelm Ren with deadly efficiency. Ren ducked, twisted, and slid out of range, his footwork immaculate. Yuka came in low, sweeping for Ren's legs. He hopped over her and flipped backward, landing just in time to avoid a dagger strike from Shiba who had appeared above him. Ren twisted mid-air, palm striking the dagger's hilt and redirecting it just enough for it to miss. Then came the roar. Kenkuro. The brawler charged out from the tree line, blood running from his nose, his knuckles bound with fresh tape. "You little bastard! I'm going to turn your spine into a roll and eat it!" Ren smirked under his mask. 'Welcome back.' Kenkuro swung wide and heavy in a classic brawler form. Ren ducked beneath it and landed a sharp strike into Kenkuro's exposed ribs, earning a grunt of pain, before slipping away between Makiru and Yuka. They pursued him relentlessly now and still, Ren didn't strike back. He focused entirely on evasion and counters. His breath steadied. His eyes blinked less. His hearing sharpened, catching the faintest rustles of movement. The air pressure changes on his skin started registering as cues, alerting him to Shiba's angles of approach. He was beginning to sync with the rhythm. He could feel it. Makiru slashed horizontally, and Ren ducked smoothly, the blade whizzing above his head by inches. At the same moment, Shiba attempted another stealth attack from behind, but Ren spun and caught the blur mid-motion, grabbing the dagger wrist and twisting it, flipping Shiba over his shoulder before letting him roll to his feet. Yuka moved in again, this time using a Genjutsu trigger that was subtle and fast, but it flickered uselessly against Ren's mind. She switched to Taijutsu, aiming a flying knee toward his chin. Ren raised his arm, blocked, stepped sideways, and redirected the momentum, sending her crashing into Kenkuro, who had just re-entered the fray. Three sets of movements. Three counters. All in perfect flow. The sounds became clearer now. Footsteps. The whistling of blades. The click of pressure points in his own joints as he moved. His hearing was filtering through layers of noise and isolating patterns. Makiru came in again, lightning sword drawn back, ready for a thrust. Shiba vanished again, using terrain to his advantage. Kenkuro charged directly. Yuka swept wide from the left. Ren stood in the middle. Still. Calm. A beat passed. He exhaled through his nose. 'Now.' Click. It wasn't an audible sound, but Ren felt it. Like a switch flipping inside his brain. Suddenly the world slowed. No, he sped up. Every motion, every twitch of muscle from his opponents became visible. He saw the moment Kenkuro's weight shifted to his right leg. He heard the subtle intake of breath before Yuka leapt. He felt the vibration in the snow as Shiba landed a step behind him. His brain was processing everything, sight, sound, pressure, movement, every single thing with clarity that bordered on overwhelming. But this time, it didn't overload him. This was different from the last time. There was no blood dripping from his eyes. No screaming pain. His focus had finally reached its peak, and held. He wasn't reacting anymore. He was anticipating. Dodging wasn't guesswork now. It was calculated response. He saw where Makiru's lightning blade would be a second from now. He adjusted accordingly. He ducked beneath it and redirected Kenkuro's punch into Yuka's shoulder. Shiba's blade came in, and Ren raised his elbow, not to block, but to alter the angle so that the dagger's hilt scraped his bracer and slid away harmlessly. The four of them were attacking in unison. And Ren was no longer being overwhelmed. He was in control. He was in the Hyperfocus State. But then, he closed it. The Hyperfocus. The clarity faded instantly. The flood of stimuli dimmed, and the world snapped back to its regular pace. For a moment, Ren stood there disoriented. That single moment was all it took. The rogue shinobi didn't hesitate. Though slightly thrown off by Ren's abrupt pause, they reacted on instinct, not giving him a chance to recover. Kenkuro and Yuka lunged at him from opposite sides, and though Ren's reflexes allowed him to block them with a swift kick and elbow strike, the momentary lapse cost him. Shiba struck from behind. Twin daggers sliced through Ren's arm guard and pierced his left arm. Ren grit his teeth just as Makiru's lightning-cloaked sword came down vertically toward his exposed shoulder. With no time to dodge, Ren brought up his arm in a desperate block. The sword struck hard, the edge sizzling against chakra-enhanced flesh and scorched armor, leaving a smoking wound on his forearm. But Ren didn't panic. He pushed off Makiru with a burst of chakra, forcing distance between them, and the moment his feet touched the ground, his hands were already glowing. A flood of yang chakra surged from his palms, stitching the wounds closed at an incredible speed. The blood clots dissolved. Flesh knit itself back together. Within seconds, he was fully healed. Makiru's eyes widened in disbelief. "Dammit," he cursed. "He's a healer too?!" He barked the next order instantly. "Don't stop! Overwhelm him! Don't let him use those healing techniques!" They attacked again, faster, more coordinated, and more desperate than before. Ren exhaled deeply, flexing his now-healed hands as he reset his stance. The pain was gone. His breathing leveled. His nerves were steady. 'First time done,' he thought. 'Now let's do it two more times. Then I can use Hyperfocus on demand.' No hesitation now. He moved forward into the wave of attackers, restarting the same flow. He wasn't trying to win yet. He was trying to train, to reproduce the exact sequence of stimuli that unlocked the Hyperfocus state. The rhythm of the fight resumed, chaotic and fast-paced. Every strike they threw at him was not just dodged, it was measured. He allowed just enough pressure to build, just enough risk to accumulate, forcing his mind to sharpen again. ~~~~~ {Wanted to add another exciting scene but then the Chapter would've become too long (2800 words), so I left it for the next Chapter.} {Anyway, how is the fight going on? It might have felt a bit easy but don't underestimate those 4, it's just that Ren has become strong, very strong, atleast strong enough to deal with those guys, but this fight won't become boring, afterall those guys haven't been training for nothing so sit around and wait for it.} {Also, as I said, it was just a short Gore scene, there might be more like this going forward in the ANBU arc, even slightly longer, for that I'll just add a warning at the beginning and won't highlight it as it breaks immersion.} {If you want, you can support me on pat-reon.} { h t t p s : / / w w w . p a t r e o n . c o m / Z e e n o n } {You know what else, 200 stone = Extra Chapter} {STONES!!!!}